Hiatt is charged in the death of well-known television director and producer Barry Crane.

Federal agents said the 1985 murder of Crane in Los Angeles sat cold for decades, but new evidence led them across the country to Hiatt.

Officials told Faherty they "haven't heard a single peep" about Hiatt returning to California to face a judge in connection with Crane's death.

(Ed Hiatt)

Friends said Hiatt is a different man now and they hope he doesn't go back to California.

“He tries to act the part, show the part. It’s very important to him. He’s gotten me to go to different Bible studies with him. I’ve gone to church with him,” his friend Sonny Ward said.

Faherty learned Hiatt has been holding Bible studies at the jail in Morganton, hoping to get out.

“He’s trying to sit there and talk to some of the other prisoners. He’s having Bible studies. He joked with me that I need to get arrested and go in and join him,” Ward said.

Breaking Burke-man just charged in connection with an unsolved 34-year old murder case from Los Angles involving a well known TV director and producer Ed Hiatt was taken in to custody by the FBI and SBI and dep. in the death of director Barry Crane. Watch channel 9 for updates pic.twitter.com/R7EhCgf3Br

“Anything is possible back then because I was big into drugs,” Hiatt admitted.

The FBI tracked Hiatt through social media to North Carolina where he was working at the auto repair business in Burke County.

“Do you remember Barry Crane?” Faherty asked.

“I don’t remember the guy until they told me his name, and then I didn’t remember his picture,” Hiatt said.

Breaking Morganton- California murder suspect Ed Hiatt is appearing before a judge. Says he wants to talk with an attorney before making any decision about going back to California. pic.twitter.com/JKngJLrBhm